K Street Pedestrian Mall Renovation

[sugit]

The city is going to see the K Street Mall "beautification" project next week for approval.

It's hard to get an idea of what the street will look like, but I do like the St Rose of Lima renderings. Eating at the kiosk or that new 3 Monkey's place in the Sun Building could be pretty cool next to the water feature. Some sort of stage would have been nice to see though.

I think moving the station from the 700 block to 7th between K and L ight actualy be a good idea as well. I'm sure they want to me the station in hope the "problems" move as well, which I doubt will be the case...but it does seem to make the street look better on the 700 block.

I think its great they want to make the street look better, but I don't think it will do a whole lot unless they get the 700 and 800 block legal problems resolved..which I hear could now be a while.

"If designs are approved, Staff will return for a construction document contract award and anticipates construction will begin by early 2008, with completion by late 2008"


- K Street Streetscape Staff Report (PDF) May 29, 2007

- K STREET STREETSCAPE RFP (PDF) 5-18-07

- Site Amenity Collection

- Walker Macy K Street Package

Here are a few renderings, click the above links for more.

[Fusey]

The owner of the Three Monkeys restaurant also owns Tokyo Dori (formerly I Love Teriyaki) in Rocklin. He's been trying to get a downtown spot for a couple of years now and it'll be opening up soon (I think he said late June/early July). He knows how to attract a good crowd, something K Street obviously needs.

[Trojan]

I like the whole beautification plans... but really, you need Department Stores and more and more stores to get anyone to go to K Street.

[travis bickle]

I've always thought that K Street should be Sacramento's international street with all foreign embassies or consulate's offices located on it. Did you know there's something like 5 or six foreign consulates located in Sacramento including those of France, Italy, Mexico (obviously) and New Zealand? It surprised me. The city should offer an incentive to locate those offices on K Street. It would bring an international flair to K Street and serve as a catalyst to further development.

[sugit]

Originally Posted by Trojan

... but really, you need Department Stores and more and more stores to get anyone to go to K Street.

Yup, that's why I hope they get the whole 700 and 800 block worked out sooner rather than later.

[innov8]

I dig the fountains… interactive and a fun place to watch people.
If they move the LR station from the 700 block to the 800 block, there will
be two stations right across the street from each other on the 800 block.
If those stations did not attract such hoodlums, I would have no problem
with the move… but I don’t see the City addressing the problem of loiters
and such. The move would create a central block of loiters so people walking
thru would only have to cringe once while walking by instead of twice… maybe?
My lunch time walk down K Street today was interesting to say the least.

[arod74]

They forgot to include the constant presence of homeless and wayward teens in the renderings. Maybe they can pipe in some classical music to drive away the loitering mobs.

[SacRising]

I love the fountains...great place for the homeless to grab a shower.

[ozone]

IMO this is an excelent plan.

Because there is only one rail track between 7th and 8th there is a more room for greenery (to make it more like the most successful block of K Street between 12th and 13th). The only way to do this to move the light rail station.

Actually I think that just by moving the station to the 800 block it will discourage "loiters and hoodlums" because unlike the 700 block- the 800 blook has two rail tracks so there's really no room to hang out and there's going to be more people around.

The interactive fountain is a great idea. No one uses the lawn now -it's a wasted space. This will really bring some fun and refreshing life to the mall. Water is great people pleaser. Let's hope they also follow through with the seatwall because the orginal plan for the park incuded seat walls but they were never built. The seatwall will give people a casual place to people watch. I expect that after the remodel the park will be surrounded by a lot of outside dining (3 Monkey's, Starbucks, and the kiosk).

Moving the kiosk will allow diners at the relocated Downtown Plaza food court the ability to look down onto the park and it will block the 'gap' in the park..making it feel more enclosed -which is more appealing. They also needed to move the kiosk for better pedestrian flow since more people cross on the north side of crosswalk because of the tracks, it's safer and people can see right into the park with it's fountain and will be attracted to enter.

I also like the different colored bands of pavement running across the entire space-in essence expanding the park or square all the way to the buildings that surround it.

BTW is this really a park? Isn't more of a square?

[sugit]

Given your a landscape designer, I was waiting for you to give you thoughts on this. Glad to hear you think this will work out good.

The city has to do what ever it taken to get the 700 block renovated though. Without that piece, the "beautification" will only go so far.

[ozone]

QUOTE by sugit

I think its great they want to make the street look better, but I don't think it will do a whole lot unless they get the 700 and 800 block legal problems resolved..which I hear could now be a while.

I agree. Until that time the DSP should be asked to put up a really cool looking construction wall. It should be designer and architectural. Not just painted plywood. And no 'History of Sacramento' stuff or political statements- K Street needs encouragment not 'downers'.

[greenmidtown]

I LOVE the fountain idea. Sacramento has a severe shortage of fountains for such a hot, dry climate with lots of water resources. Portland has fountains everywhere downtown and they bring families out better than anything.

I also LOVE this idea.

Originally Posted by travis bickle

I've always thought that K Street should be Sacramento's international street with all foreign embassies or consulate's offices located on it. Did you know there's something like 5 or six foreign consulates located in Sacramento including those of France, Italy, Mexico (obviously) and New Zealand? It surprised me. The city should offer an incentive to locate those offices on K Street. It would bring an international flair to K Street and serve as a catalyst to further development.

Good out of the box thinking that personalizes K st. to Sacramento and make it more international and tourist friendly

[TowerDistrict]

Originally Posted by greenmidtown

Portland has fountains everywhere downtown and they bring families out better than anything.

The architects, Walker Macy, are based out of Portland. They're also the firm doing the whole riverfront promenade. I should have some visuals to post from their presentation by tomorrow.

[greenmidtown]

Originally Posted by TowerDistrict

The architects, Walker Macy, are based out of Portland. They're also the firm doing the whole riverfront promenade. I should have some visuals to post from their presentation by tomorrow.

awesome. that gives me even more faith in both of those projects. Portland knows urban planning, any help we get from our northwest neighbors is more than welcome.

[ozone]

Originally Posted by travis bickle

I've always thought that K Street should be Sacramento's international street with all foreign embassies or consulate's offices located on it. Did you know there's something like 5 or six foreign consulates located in Sacramento including those of France, Italy, Mexico (obviously) and New Zealand? It surprised me. The city should offer an incentive to locate those offices on K Street. It would bring an international flair to K Street and serve as a catalyst to further development.

Er... I'm not sure how this would improve K Street. Consulates here are pretty much just small boring offices, except for the Mexican, which is already just a half block from K Street.

[travis bickle]

Originally Posted by ozone

Er... I'm not sure how this would improve K Street. Consulates here are pretty much just small boring offices, except for the Mexican, which is already just a half block from K Street.

Three things I can think of to start...

Image - while the offices may be boring - an international image is not. If by say, 2012 Sacramento is home to eight consulates in a four block stretch of K Street (China could be next) - that's a pretty impressive image for conventioneers/tourists walking the mall. You'd have to do more than just locate the office. Appropriate flags and say a sculpture from the home country in front on the mall would signal that Sacramento is an international player. That may surprise some people whom otherwise might still consider Sacramento the isolated burg it once was.

Clientele - although often consulates handle mundane visa etc. issues, they also can be places where deals are made and function hosted. A few more of these types of places on K Street can't be bad.

Synergy - creating a district - like a theater district or a club district - any "district" inevitably produces a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Can't be sure of exactly what the results will be, but it'll be better than what is there now. This is more than just any physical improvement. It's about what kind of town Sacramentans want to live in. When someone asks where your office or flat is - kinda cool to say it's on "Embassy Row."

[downtownserg89]

so does that mean no more ice rink?

[ozone]

no it means that the ice rink will be placed on top of fountain.

[brandon12]

^I'm pretty sure Mexico is the only country that actually has a regular consulate in Sacramento. A few other countries may have Vice Consulars (or whatever they're called) that live in the area and if you're a foreign national and ever need their help in an emergency, you can call them and they will help you in the immediate short term, but you will probably eventually have to make your way to SF or LA for the Consulate or Embassy. At least that was the case 3 or 4 years ago when my wife was a diplomate at the British Consulate in SF (I really just like saying that because it sounds sexy).

[ltsmotorsport]

^I was gonna say something, but never mind.